A comparative analysis of chromosome banding morphology and homologous linkage association holds much potential in the interpretation of human genome organization. Although cytogenetic description of most of the 203 living primate species has been presented, there have been less than a dozen syntenic maps developed. This project has as a goal the construction of a genetic map of the New World spider monkey, Ateles paniscus chamek (2n=34). Three panels of rodent X Ateles somatic cell hybrids were constructed and typed for 26 isozyme markers that were homologous to enzyme structural genes mapped in man and other primates. The derived syntenic groups were assigned to Ateles chromosomes by concordent occurrence with individual chromosome homologues. The genetic map of Ateles was interpreted in a phylogenetic context that is characterized by a high degree of chromosomal conservation during the primate radiation.